The present invention relates in general to a toy assembly, and more particularly, to a crib toy assembly adapted for mounting a toy, plaything, ornament or the like to a crib rail and for alternatively supporting the toy on a self-supporting stand formed from the assembly when positioned on a table, dresser, floor or the like.
Crib toys have gained wide popularity as a result of their play value and ability to enhance the attention span of an infant. These crib toys are provided with suitable mounting brackets to permit the mounting of the crib toy to the top rail of a crib, playpen or the like. In order to accomodate the various sizes and constructions of such rails on both cribs and playpens, as well as other such infant confining devices, these mounting brackets have been constructed in various forms, for example, interlocking flexible straps, threaded T-shaped plugs, and the like. However, these mounting brackets due to their universal mounting characteristic have generally been awkward to use during both installation and removal of the crib toy. In addition, these mounting brackets have often been found either difficult or unsuitable for raising the crib toy upwardly as the infant gains the ability to reach and/or stand up in the crib, so as to position the crib toy in its optimum location with respect to the infant for maximum play value.
In addition to the foregoing, these prior art crib toys have had little value as the infant grows older and outgrows the need for a crib toy as such. As a consequence, these crib toys are often discarded after a relatively short useful lifespan, even though the crib toy is suitable for future use. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there is an unsolved need for a toy assembly which can be readily mounted to the rail of a crib or playpen of various sizes and constructions in a convenient, simple and efficient manner. Likewise, there is an unsolved need for a toy assembly having an afterlife, that is, one suitable for use as the infant outgrows the play value of the crib toy when provided mounted to a crib or playpen.